The present invention relates to underwater dive valves with two outlets, of the type comprising a valve body with two outlets for connection to user circuits disposed on opposite sides of the axis of the mounting base of the body on the tank.
In known valves of this type, as shown and described on pages 10 and 11 of the brochure Spiro-Aqualung of 1996, or more recently, on page 14 of the brochure 2000 of Aqualung (valve xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d), the valve body is symmetrical with the axes of the outlets in a same plane orthogonal to the axis of the base. The outlets being provided to mount two first stage expanders each supplying at least generally two compressed gas hoses, the symmetrical arrangement gives rise to problems of emplacement and size of the expanders and their associated tubing which can, during use, give rise to mechanical problems.
The present invention has the object of largely eliminating these drawbacks by providing an architecture for the valve body limiting the interference between the conduits connected to the two outlets.
To do this, according to one aspect of the invention, the outlets are offset relative to the base, preferably in the direction of the axis of the base (vertical plane) and/or in a sagittal plane orthogonal to the vertical plane.
According to other more particular characteristics,
the axes of the outlets are offset in the direction of the axis of the base relative to this latter,
this offset (vertical) is comprised between about 5 and 80 mm, typically between about 20 and 60 mm;
the spacing (horizontal) between the outlet axes, in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the base, is comprised between about 60 and 130 mm, typically between about 70 and 100 mm, this horizontal spacing being preferably substantially centered on the axis of the base.
The invention also relates to a dive tank provided with a valve comprising a valve body of the above type.